


Abandoned Lantern

by MumSnake



Series: Child of Scarlet Flame and Blacken Void [7]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Gen, Other, Post Dream No More Ending, and Post Grimm Troupe Ritual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 10:01:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16931175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MumSnake/pseuds/MumSnake
Summary: “Ahhh, how feisty, so quick to pounce. Quite rude too, have you lost your manners in your deteriorated form, Troupe Master?”





	Abandoned Lantern

**Author's Note:**

> This is after Trials of Discovery and just before In Her Sights.
> 
> Mato is suppose to be babysitting, he doesn't do a good job of it though.

Wind blow sharply all over them from all around. The Child had to bundle their wings tightly around themselves like a makeshift cloak so as to no get blown away. They tried to perch themselves just at the atop of the one of the cliffs that littered the Howling Cliffs in order to gaze out into the wasteland. The wind however constantly blow into their face and they had to knee down to the ground multiple times just to stop from toppling over. At most, they could see layers of sand and maybe some tall structures far in the distance, but it was hardly a view.

“Not much of a sight, now is it?” A clear voice said to them even over the howling winds. The Child glanced down and saw the Nailmaster Mato standing proud and hardly bothered by the harsh gales of the wind. Mato glanced up at them for a second before looking out to the wastelands again, an odd look taking over his face.

“There's not much out there, I suppose. Not that that stops others from trying to find something that very well might not exist.” The Nailmaster stopped talking, seeming to be lost in thought. The Child spared the wastelands one last look, one last squint before admitting defeat and crawling down to Mato's level. They stood right next to the larger bug, hoping that his larger frame would cut some of the wind from hitting them. Mato turned to looked at them, his expression back to its more cheery look. “But I suppose the possibility of something being out there is more than enough reason to go out and find it, hmm?”

The Child held his gaze, not sure how to respond, though Mato didn't seem to expect one and started leading them down the cliff while making sure to keep a hand on the Child to shield them from the wind. “That's the thing with mysteries, all we really need is just a hint of a possibility, then the rest is history. Curiosity will almost always get the better of us, especially the younger ones.” Mato hinted his head towards the Child, a knowing smirk on his face. The Child huffed out a small flame that immediately died to the harsh winds.

“HAHA, no need to be sulk small one. I myself know how tightly curiosity can pull one's mind.” Mato ushered them into one of the caves that led down to the less wind intensified areas of the Howling Cliffs. “Though, there is no harm in sharing where that pull is leading you. I know that Quirrel would appriciate it at the least.” The Child let out another huff of fire and sort of stormed off from Mato. They already know that sneaking off to the Lake of Unn was more then just a bad idea, but they don't need more bugs lecturing them on it.

None of them ever knew half of what had happened, Quirrel himself only knew parts and the Child had no plan to tell anyone any time soon.

Not until they spoke to Grimm at least.

Even if they didn't know how to reach out to Grimm.

“Now don't wonder too far small one! There are some vengeflies and crawlids still wondering about.” Mato called out to them, but the Child knew how to deal with small bugs. They unfolded their wings with a quick stretch and after three test flaps gave a small hop and flew the rest of the way through down to the hollowed out caverns of the Howling Cliffs.

They flew over a few crawlids and only ran into one vengefly that easliy brunt to a crisp with a small fire ball. The Child landed just below the Stag Station and walked down the marked path that opened up to the side of the cliff and the last spot before entering the wastelands. The cliff side was cut apart with scattered ledges and ridges from top to bottom as if something that tried to take the mountain apart a long time ago. As a result, there was no actual path to follow if one wanted to reach the sands that blew in from the wastelands all the way at the very bottom of the cliff. The Child poked their head out and got a face full of sand and dirt from the gushing wind. They wiped themselves clean before folding their wings inward again and started their decent to where the sands met stone.

They tried to stay behind the more sturdy structures and natural walls that marked the cliff side in order to avoid the winds as much as possible, but some hardly provided any protection as the winds twisted and turned around the uneven rocks. Still, the Child moved further and further down, avoiding a few more crawlids that held just as desperately to the stone as they were and finally they hopped down from a rather large platform and landed mostly in sand.

The wind seemed to blow worse down at the bottom then when they were up at the top of the cliff. The Child had to stay crouched down, completely huddling inwards and moved with small steps to get closer and closer to the border that marked the end of the Kingdom of Hallownest and the beginning of the uninhabitable wastelands.

The howls of the winds rushed through them, nearly becoming the only things they could hear as sand constantly blew into their face. The Child crouched even lower to the ground, trying to find some kind of hold against the raging gust as they brought up one winged arm to cover their eyes and look out. The wind immediately caught on it however, and they let out a small cry in surprise as the wind nearly threw them back. The Child curled inward again just trying to look out and see past the wall of flying sand, but they couldn't fight against the winds any longer. With a yelp, the Child was thrown from the stone they had been clutching to and blown far back into one of the caves on the side of the mountain.

The Child stretched out their wings and after what felt like forever finally regained their senses and steadied themselves in the air. They glided down to the stone slowly, letting out a small sigh at being unable to fight against the howling winds.

“AHH! You are unharmed! That is good, yes good.”

The Child spun around instantly, their claws out in front of them and scarlet fire ready to fly at the tip of their mouth as they let out a harsh growl in warning. They didn't recognize that voice.

“Ahhh, how feisty, so quick to pounce. Quite rude too, have you lost your manners in your deteriorated form Troupe Master?”

From a crevice in the wall a large bug slowly crawled out to stand, or more lay, in front of the Child. Her abdomen looked bloated and heavy as it dragged behind her, but she hardly seemed bothered by it as she kept a wide fang-filled smile on the whole time. Her spear like claws dug deep and confidently into the stone and she showed no real sign of struggling to pull her own weight as she moved ever so slightly closer to the Child. They took an shaky step back, trying to maintain some distance between the two of them.

Just because she looked slow to move, didn't exactly mean she was slow to act.

“Ahhhhhhh! I see those thoughts running and spinning and jumping in that delicate little shell of yours~ Would one, Divine as I am, really go to the trouble to entertaining if I only sought to do something more _drastic_.”

She inched closer and closer to them with each word she hissed out. The Child hadn't even noticed that they were backing into a wall until they nearly tripped back into it. They saw how she tried to crowd over them, pincers in the air ready to strike with any sudden movements and her face...

The Child couldn't help the gasp that left them as they forgo everything to just stare at her eyes. The large bug wore half a mask, but still in both eyes they could very clearly see the flickering of the Scarlet Flame.

“Ahh, the warmth is gone, but a new one has come to take its place. How good, quite well in fact, _so good_.”

She inched away from them, allowing them more space as to not feel crowded on but she reminded close still as she brought her pincers to cover her mouth. “Even faded and draped with Void, I can still smell Master within, but he's not here now is he?”

The Child stared at her. They hadn't a clue as to how to answer her question let alone know if answering yes or no would make her mad.

“Ahh little one~” She closed in faster then the Child would of thought possible, her pincers under their arms, even mindful of their wings, and gently lifted them to her chest as if they were a newly hatched larva. She cradled them in her arms as a found expression overcame the side of the face that they could see while their own eyes expanded in shock and unease.

The Child tried to get a hold in her arms, but she swatted their attempts away before stroking their head in a placating motion. She turned around and began moving back into the crevice that she came out of, the wide smile back.

“Even silence can speak louder then any sound, but worry not! Divine, as I am, can wait for the Master and when the Scarlet Flame returns with more then ever before, all will be as it should!”

–

The Child only really struggled to get out of Divine's hold for a few minutes before giving up. Her hold was strong and every time they thought they got the upper hand, she only clamped down harder with her pincers and the Child didn't want to get slashed or pierced by them. Divine herself just hummed a tune to herself as she made her way through a tunnel that just barely fit her abdomen. The Child looked past Divine's head, surprised at how fast she seemed able to move without her arms when she turned into a chamber that looked far to fabricated to be a natural formation.

Pillars with perfectly scaled spirals formed a circle around a tall and rather imposing torch. Beneath that, a hearth sat looking burnt out and covered with a rather dark looking ash. Smaller lamps were scattered around the center, the same twisting design, but each lamp including the one at the very center was unlit.

The room was dark and cold, as if no light or fire had been within its walls for quite a long time.

“Here, is where our Troupe settled. Where the Scarlet Flame held for Ritual's sake.” She set the Child down near one of the smaller lamps, her expression more somber despite the smile that still stretched across her face. She looked up at the center lamp, her back now facing the Child “Ohhh, but now the Ritual is completed and the Flame remade for this waking world with the Void's Grasp acting as protector.”

Divine started whispering to herself while looking at the lamp. The Child tilted their head at her and waited for another few seconds before standing up and moving towards Divine. They couldn't see her face because of the mask she wore, but as they inched further and further to her front they felt her eyes move with them, never stalling or leaving as she stopped speaking.

She watched them quietly as they fumbled past her and approached the large torch. They tried to ignore her eyes on their back as they slowly reached out a hand towards the base of the lamp. When they touched the top of hearth, they let out a small sound of surprised, it felt oddly warm.

The Child peaked over their shoulder to look at Divine, her smile was stretched wider again showing many sharpen fangs that didn't seem natural for any bug. Her eyes glinted brightly in a way that made the Child nervous.

“Ahh, but such things don't concern you now, do they little troupe leader?” Her tone was back to being high as she reached over and started shoving the Child back to the entrance of the chamber.

“Leave now, leave! I can smell that thing coming closer and closer and the troupe's lantern must be guarded yes?” Divine shoved the Child out until they stumbled out of a hallowing in the cliff's side. The opening was small and hard to see, they easily could of walked past it and missed it completely.

“Come later, little troupe leader, when the flames have made themselves more known and the lurking form of that thing does not linger in your shadow.

“I will wait here, and when the Master calls, I will answer.”

Divine gave them a swift wave and left back into the tunnel. The Child watched her go with a blank look and far too many questions in mind. They took a step forward to try and follow her when a loud **thud** came from behind them. Turning around, the Child saw the large form of Mato as he stood up from where he must had landed after jumping down. His back was to them and he seemed completely unaware of this section of the cliff's side. The Child looked back over to where Divine went and the Chamber deep inside the mountain.

The Child brushed themselves off and flew towards Mato; they'll have to come back later, when they were properly alone.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I did is over a series of days, on and off. I think it shows too in the writing.
> 
> (Also, I try to keep as many things in the story as accurate as possible with the game, but I don't even think about whether the lamp that you use to start the Grimm Troupe was even still there after the ritual or not til the end of writing this. So I went to check-  
> Turns out its not... woops.)


End file.
